Adaptive error correction in quantum computing

Abstract

A method for adaptive error correction in quantum computing includes executing a calibration operation on a set of qubits, the calibration operation determining an initial state of a quantum processor. In an embodiment, the method includes estimating, responsive to determining an initial state of the quantum processor, a runtime duration for a quantum circuit design corresponding to a quantum algorithm, the quantum processor configured to execute the quantum circuit design. In an embodiment, the method includes computing an error scenario for the quantum circuit design. In an embodiment, the method includes selecting, using the error scenario and the initial state of the quantum processor, a quantum error correction approach for the quantum circuit design. In an embodiment, the method includes transforming the quantum algorithm into the quantum circuit design, the quantum circuit design including a set of quantum logic gates.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 determining, by executing a calibration operation on a quantum processor, a set of parameters of the quantum processor, the calibration operation performing a set of operations on a plurality of qubits of the quantum processor; 
 determining, by analyzing a quantum circuit design intended for execution by the quantum processor using an initial state of the quantum processor, a number of qubits available for error correction while the quantum circuit design is executed by the quantum processor; 
 selecting, by the quantum processor, from a library of error correction techniques, a first error correction technique, the first error correction technique being implementable using the number of qubits available for error correction, the first error correction technique having a first runtime; 
 probabilistically determining, by analyzing the quantum circuit design and the set of parameters, a number of iterations of the quantum circuit design to obtain a threshold level of accuracy when the quantum circuit design is executed by the quantum processor with an error rate determined by averaging together a set of outputs of multiple iterations; 
 determining, by analyzing the quantum circuit design and the set of parameters, a second runtime required to execute, by the quantum processor, the number of iterations; and 
 executing, by the quantum processor responsive to determining that the first runtime is shorter than the second runtime, an error-corrected quantum circuit design, the error-corrected quantum circuit design comprising the quantum circuit design and the first error correction technique. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 executing, by the quantum processor responsive to determining that the second runtime is at most equal to the first runtime, the quantum circuit design for the number of iterations. 
 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the calibration operation comprises generating, by comparing a result of an operation in the set of operations to an expected result, the set of parameters. 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the calibration operation determines a set of qubit parameter values of the plurality of qubits of the quantum processor. 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the calibration operation determines a set of quantum gate parameters of the quantum processor. 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the number of qubits available for error correction comprises a total number of qubits of the quantum processor minus a number of qubits necessary to execute, by the quantum processor, the quantum circuit design. 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first error correction technique is selected based on a first level of accuracy of the first error correction technique. 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the first level of accuracy is equal to or greater than the threshold level of accuracy. 
     
     
       9. A computer program product for adaptive error correction in quantum computing, the computer program product comprising:
 one or more computer readable storage media, and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising: 
 program instructions to determine, by executing a calibration operation on a quantum processor, a set of parameters of the quantum processor, the calibration operation performing a set of operations on a plurality of qubits of the quantum processor; 
 program instructions to determine, by analyzing a quantum circuit design intended for execution by the quantum processor using an initial state of the quantum processor, a number of qubits available for error correction while the quantum circuit design is executed by the quantum processor; 
 program instructions to select, by the quantum processor, from a library of error correction techniques, a first error correction technique, the first error correction technique being implementable using the number of qubits available for error correction, the first error correction technique having a first runtime; 
 program instructions to determine, by analyzing the quantum circuit design and the set of parameters, a number of iterations of the quantum circuit design to obtain a threshold level of accuracy when the quantum circuit design is executed by the quantum processor with an error rate determined by averaging together a set of outputs of multiple iterations; 
 program instructions to probabilistically determine, by analyzing the quantum circuit design and the set of parameters, a second runtime required to execute, by the quantum processor, the number of iterations; and 
 program instructions to execute, by the quantum processor responsive to determining that the first runtime is shorter than the second runtime, an error-corrected quantum circuit design, the error-corrected quantum circuit design comprising the quantum circuit design and the first error correction technique. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer program product of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 program instructions to execute, by the quantum processor responsive to determining that the second runtime is at most equal to the first runtime, the quantum circuit design for the number of iterations. 
 
     
     
       11. The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the calibration operation comprises generating, by comparing a result of an operation in the set of operations to an expected result, the set of parameters. 
     
     
       12. The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the calibration operation determines a set of qubit parameter values of the plurality of qubits of the quantum processor. 
     
     
       13. The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the calibration operation determines a set of quantum gate parameters of the quantum processor. 
     
     
       14. The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the number of qubits available for error correction comprises a total number of qubits of the quantum processor minus a number of qubits necessary to execute, by the quantum processor, the quantum circuit design. 
     
     
       15. The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the first error correction technique is selected based on a first level of accuracy of the first error correction technique. 
     
     
       16. The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the stored program instructions are stored in the at least one of the one or more storage media of a local data processing system, and wherein the stored program instructions are transferred over a network from a remote data processing system. 
     
     
       17. The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the stored program instructions are stored in the at least one of the one or more storage media of a server data processing system, and wherein the stored program instructions are downloaded over a network to a remote data processing system for use in a computer readable storage device associated with the remote data processing system. 
     
     
       18. A computer system comprising one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories, and one or more computer-readable storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, the stored program instructions comprising:
 program instructions to determine, by executing a calibration operation on a quantum processor, a set of parameters of the quantum processor, the calibration operation performing a set of operations on a plurality of qubits of the quantum processor; 
 program instructions to determine, by analyzing a quantum circuit design intended for execution by the quantum processor using an initial state of the quantum processor, a number of qubits available for error correction while the quantum circuit design is executed by the quantum processor; 
 program instructions to select, by the quantum processor, from a library of error correction techniques, a first error correction technique, the first error correction technique being implementable using the number of qubits available for error correction, the first error correction technique having a first runtime; 
 program instructions to determine, by analyzing the quantum circuit design and the set of parameters, a number of iterations of the quantum circuit design to obtain a threshold level of accuracy when the quantum circuit design is executed by the quantum processor with an error rate determined by averaging together a set of outputs of multiple iterations; 
 program instructions to probabilistically determine, by analyzing the quantum circuit design and the set of parameters, a second runtime required to execute, by the quantum processor, the number of iterations; and 
 program instructions to execute, by the quantum processor responsive to determining that the first runtime is shorter than the second runtime, an error-corrected quantum circuit design, the error-corrected quantum circuit design comprising the quantum circuit design and the first error correction technique. 
 
     
     
       19. The computer system of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 program instructions to execute, by the quantum processor responsive to determining that the second runtime is at most equal to the first runtime, the quantum circuit design for the number of iterations. 
 
     
     
       20. The computer system of  claim 18 , wherein the calibration operation comprises generating, by comparing a result of an operation in the set of operations to an expected result, the set of parameters.